fancy 1 of 3

Definition of fancynext

fancy

2 of 3

noun

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as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others to fans of Lewis Carroll, the animal creations of his fertile fancy are as real as any creature to be found at the zoo

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fancy distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of fancy are conceive, envisage, envision, imagine, realize, and think. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

When could conceive be used to replace fancy?

The words conceive and fancy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

How do envisage and envision relate to one another, in the sense of fancy?

Both envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed.

envisaged a totally computerized operation
envisioned a cure for the disease

Where would imagine be a reasonable alternative to fancy?

The meanings of imagine and fancy largely overlap; however, imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When would realize be a good substitute for fancy?

While the synonyms realize and fancy are close in meaning, realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

When can think be used instead of fancy?

In some situations, the words think and fancy are roughly equivalent. However, think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection.

I just thought of a good joke

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fancy
Adjective
The first part of this expansion happened last year when the Mendocino Railway, better known as the Skunk Train, unveiled the Redwood, a fancy railcar offering cocktails as part of a seven-mile round trip from Fort Bragg. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 David plays himself in the scene, trying and failing to get a table at a fancy restaurant, only to watch Hannah walk in and get seated immediately. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
If a basket strikes your fancy, look no further than Widener and Company, a small business in Maine that specializes in antiques and handcraft. — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Blending clean lines with upholstered curves on the head and footboard, this bed frame will add a modern, slightly industrial touch to a bedroom if that suits your fancy. — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026
Verb
Speaking of singing pirates, Curry clearly fancied these kinds of roles, signing on to play the villainous Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Brian Henson’s musical adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel. — ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026 West Ham, Wolves and Burnley bring recent Premier League experience, while Middlesbrough, Southampton, Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield United are all fancied ahead of Wrexham for promotion. — Dean Jones, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fancy
Adjective
  • Dry eye disease is tied to excessive tear evaporation or inflammation on the eye’s surface.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers also reported that giving testosterone after injury reduced the excessive cardiovascular reactivity caused by traumatic brain injury in their model.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Adding to the bronze structure is a detailed blossom decoration featuring 925 sterling silver and 24K gold accents.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
  • After a detailed briefing with an ATI staff member, I was kitted out with a folder packed with maps, a Namibian cell phone pre-programmed with key contacts, and a first-aid kit.
    — Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In a matter of weeks, when the midterm results are tallied and the next campaign begins, Democrats with presidential dreams know the question will be coming.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • In his dreams, Jose Fiscal Belli is still living an all-American life with his all-American family.
    — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • From here on out, the authorship of Tae-ju’s life is ambiguous, as well as constantly in flux, buffeted by the whims and suggestions of others, as well as by her own impulses.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But elevating the whims of progressive activists and government bureaucrats above the wisdom of the marketplace has proven a costly mistake and undermined consumer choice.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Anyone who’s had a game console and played Madden has arranged depth charts to their liking and made game-management decisions to feel like a head coach.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • This flamboyantly ambitious novel, which takes place in a version of Atlanta known as Atlantis, follows the life of George Washington Jonson, a Black cop with a liking for white women.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In his imagination these eruptive landscapes overlaid each other like palimpsests.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In the end, imagination was the through line to everything Fayet touched.
    — Julie Coe, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Yet their willingness to talk, listen, and imagine what had seemed impossible helped lay the groundwork for historic nuclear arms reductions.
    — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The sense that a resume goes straight into a black box isn’t imagined – applications per job have more than doubled since 2022, and the average company now has 56% fewer recruiters to review them.
    — Owen Humphries, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • People went through the admission and security checkpoints without issues, and the event’s early evening acts enjoyed mostly dry stages with light, intermittent rain.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Patel seemed to enjoy the process, even though many people did not answer their doors and most of those who did had not heard about the election at all.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fancy. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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